In Kent and Medway, there are four NHS organisations providing maternity care to women and families.
You can register with a midwife directly. Make an online referral by clicking on the areas below.
Don't forget to ask your midwife for a personalised care and support plan booklet. This is designed to help you on your pregnancy journey.
Most people will register with their local maternity service, but within the NHS you can choose which organisation will provide your care.
The NHS.uk website provides information on all maternity services you could access, should you choose.
Everyone has a choice about where to birth, and what support (or space) is wanted.
To stay as safe and well as possible through your birth experience, it is important to choose the right setting for labour and birth. No midwife or doctor can decide for you because it depends on what's important for you. With birth, like any important life event, nobody can guarantee that everything will go smoothly, but by finding out the facts and making plans, there is the best chance it will.
Birthrights provides information on your legal rights when choosing where to birth
Within Kent and Medway, all four maternity services provide:
- regular antenatal (pregnancy) appointments
- support for births at home, in a midwife-led unit (birth centre) and an obstetric unit (hospital birth)
- postnatal (after the birth) appointments (either at home, in a local clinic or hospital).
If you are thinking about home birth, please register with your local maternity service. Restrictions can change so it’s important to have a few different plans depending on what might change.
If you wish to book into maternity services outside of your local area, such as a birth centre for your birth, then please check with the organisation to find out your options for receiving antenatal care. Postnatal care is normally provided by your local organisation.
For most people giving birth in Kent and Medway, community midwives provide antenatal and postnatal care. During the birth, a separate team of midwives provide care. Maternity services are introducing ‘continuity of carer’ teams where ‘continuity’ midwives look after women through all stages of their maternity care, including the birth. Once you are registered, your midwife will let you know if this is available in your area.
